[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 176 (Wednesday, October 6, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6939-S6940]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           NIOBRARA COUNTY COURTHOUSE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of the 
centennial celebration for the Niobrara County Courthouse in Lusk, WY.
  Niobrara County residents are blessed to live in this special place. 
Located on the plains and rolling hills of eastern Wyoming, the county 
is a gateway to the Black Hills and Central Wyoming. Its 2,400 
residents center around the communities of Lusk, Manville, and Van 
Tassell. The county was created from eastern Converse County in 1911, 
and Lusk was chosen as the county seat when Niobrara County was 
organized in 1913. The name of the county comes from the Niobrara 
River, which begins its journey east of Lusk.
  Niobrara County's story is a collection of the determined and 
persevering people that have called this place home for the past 
century. Its establishment was given a physical monument when the 
courthouse was built in 1920. The land on which the courthouse sits was 
originally donated by early rancher Frank Lusk, as a site to build the 
new town which bears his name. County business was first conducted in 
the Odd Fellows Hall, followed by the Harmony Lodge. A fire in 1919 
destroyed the lodge, but not the records kept in a steel vault. 
Operations were moved to the basement of the First National Bank of 
Lusk until a new courthouse was completed. A white schoolhouse was 
built at the corner of 5th and Elm, believed to be the first in Lusk. 
When the courthouse was planned for this location, the schoolhouse was 
split up and moved to another block.
  The economy of the new county experienced an unexpected boom when oil 
was discovered in what became the Lance Creek Field. The increase in 
taxable goods prompted the county commissioners to propose a bond 
election to fund the construction of a courthouse. On election day, 
November, 6, 1918, voters approved a $60,000 bond issue by only 29 
votes. The commissioners chose architect George E. McDonald, designer 
of courthouses in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, to design the new 
building. The contracting bid was awarded to D.W. Woods. The building 
came in $22,000 over budget, and the commissioners again proposed a 
bond election for another $40,000. The vote passed by 30 votes this 
time.
  The building was finished in the winter and occupied in February 
1920. It was the only courthouse in Wyoming with a bronze statue of 
Justice placed on top of the courthouse dome. However, the statue only 
stayed there for 10 years. Strong Wyoming winds caused the statue to 
constantly vibrate and shift, which damaged the roof. In 1930, 
commissioners voted to remove the statue and replace the roof. The 
statue laid on the ground behind the courthouse, until 1 day it 
disappeared, only to be placed a few days later on a hill overlooking 
the town. It remained

[[Page S6940]]

there as a Lusk landmark until it vanished from that location as well. 
Stories say that some delinquents moved it to the bottom of an 
abandoned mine shaft. Rumors abounded in Lusk over the following years 
as to the purpose of the statue's relocation. During World War II, the 
statue resurfaced and was donated to a scrap metal campaign for the war 
effort.
  The courthouse was described as, ``Built of dark red brick with white 
columned porticoes on the south and east entrances, and, of course, 
with the white dome capped by the bronze statue, the courthouse was the 
pride of the county's citizens.'' The Niobrara County Commissioners 
inscribed on the cornerstone of the building were Fred S. Runser, M.J. 
McCormick, and C.F. Calhoun, with E.M. Phillips as the county clerk. 
One of the most prominent features of the building is the motto above 
the door, ``A Public Office Is A Public Trust.'' This defining feature, 
which remains there today, is an inspiring reminder to all those who 
work in the county and in Wyoming. The current county commissioners 
tasked with upholding this ideal are Patrick H. Wade, John Midkiff, and 
Elaine B. Griffith, with Becky Freeman as county clerk.
  On Friday, October 15, 2021, the Niobrara County Commissioners are 
hosting a celebration for the courthouse's centennial. A dedication 
ceremony will take place at this event as one was not preformed upon 
its original construction. The Niobrara County Historical Society 
purchased a sign commemorating the courthouse and providing historic 
information. It will be a wonderful celebration of Lusk and the 
Niobrara County community.
  Niobrara County has a storied and colorful past. Its people stand as 
an example of strong character and neighborliness and its courthouse a 
symbol of their ideals. Bobbi joins me in celebrating the centennial of 
the Niobrara County Courthouse and the citizens who make this county 
special.

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